Draft rigging



' B. W.-KADEL Sept; 11

DRAFTQRIGGING Filed May 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BYERS KADEL, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SYMIINGTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION MARYLAND.

DRAFT RIG-GING.

Application filed May 24,

The invention relates to draft rigging for railway cars and more particularly to imconnectedto the coupler by means of a vertically extending key whereby the coupler may have both horizontal and vertical swinging movements independent of the yoke without imparting destructive strains thereto.

, A still further object of the invention is to provide in connection with the horizontally disposed yoke a key-connected front follower and 'a combined backstop and tie casting,

said key and backstop forming a support and guide for the yoke and being adapted to maintain the yoke in proper position inde-' pendent of the cushioning mechanism.

, To these and other ends, the invention consists in the various elements and com- Y binations of elements as hereinafter set forth, the novel features being pointed out" in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings: Figure 1 is a view partially in plan and partially in section of a car underframe' showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view, of the forward end portion of the yoke and associated parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar view through the backstop and tie casting of Figure 2.

Throughout the several figures like parts are designated by like reference characters. The numeral 1 designates a combined striking casting and coupler carry iron which may be of any desired form, 2 the end sill, and 3 the center or draft sills of a car underframel 4 is the coupler which is provided in its shank with a longitudinally ex-- ect of the invention is to pro- 1924. Serial no. 715,645.

tending vertically arranged slot 5 and which also may be provided with a'transversely arranged slot 6.

Each of the sills 3 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 7 and connected to the outer face of each sill, preferably by a plurality of rivets, is a slotted cheek plate or stop casting 8 having a boss '9 adapted to extend within the slot 7 of the bined tie, backstop and preferably center casting 14, the saidcasting having a vertically extending interrupted stop- .face 15 formed by flanges 16 and 17, said flanges 16 and 17 having formed on their adjacent edges and preferably integral therewith, rearwardly extending webs or flanges 18' and 19, respectively, the object and urpose of which will hereinafter be descri ed. Said casting 14 whenemployed as a center casting is provided with a hollow thimble 20 and is also formed'with a plurality of stiffening webs and flanges 21, 22 and 23. Longitudinally extending webs or flanges 24 form the side walls of the casting and are suitably apertured so as to receive the rivets 25, by means of which the stop and tie casting is rigidly connected to the adjacent portions of the underframe.

Extending rearwardly from the coupler and forming the means by which the same is connected to the cushioning mechanism 26 (which is diagrammatically shown 'by the dot and dash lines 27) is a yoke 28 comprising a pair of arms 29 connected adjacent the stop casting 14 by an integral portion 30. At its forward end, there is connected to and preferably integral with the arms of the yoke, transversely extending plates 31 which, in conjunction with the adjacent portions of the arms 29, form a hooded orbox-like end portion 32 into which the slotted portion of the coupler shank 4 is adapted to extend.

Each of the plates 31 is provided with a Yongitudinally extending slot 33, portions of which slots coincide with the slot 5 in the coupler shank. The coupler is preferably connected to the yoke by means of a vertically extending key 34, said key being adapted to extend through the alined slots 33 and 5 in the yoke and coupler, respectively, and is normally positioned in engagement with the forward ends of the slots 33 and the inner end of the slot 5. The slots 33 preferably are of greater width than the slot 5 so that the coupler may pivot or swing horizontally independently of the yoke on the forward edge of the key 34 as a pivot. The key 34 may be retained in position by any suitable means as for example by providing on the lower plate 31 a pair of spaced perforated ears 35 and extending through the perfora tions a bolt or other suitable means 36. The key 34 may, if desired, be provided with a head 37 which is adapted to rest upon the bolt 36.

From a point substantially adjacent the rear edge of the key 34 when the same is in normal position, the adjacent faces of the plates 31 are flared upwardly and outwardly, as clearly shown at 38. This construction not only permits a slight vertical angling of the coupler shank 4 so as to permit the necessary movement thereof when the car is passing over a hump, as for example in classification yards or in car dumping inclines, without detrimental strains upon the yoke, but also provides clearance for the forward end of a box follower 39 which is slotted, as at 40, so as to receive and be supported by I the key 13;

The portion 30 of the yoke 28 is normally adapted to rest upon the web 1-9.- That is, the portion 30 of the yoke extends within the recess in the wall 15 of the stop casting and lies between the webs 18 and 19, and since the over-all length of the portion 30 is slightly greater than the permissive. movement of the cushioning mechanism, the yoke will always be maintained in engagement with the stop casting 14 and will be guided in its reciprocatory movements by the said webs or flanges 18 and 19.

To support the cushionin mechanism, there is provided the usual form of carry irons 41 and 42 which are connected to the lower flanges of the sills 3 by bolts 43 or other suitable fastening means. It willwbe understood of course that while I have illustrated a purality of carry irons, that a single carry iron may be substituted if desired.

It willbe observed that the rearward por tions of the plates 31 overlies the forward portion of the follower 39 thereby effecting economy of space and, as illustrated on the drawings, also extend rearwardly of the adjacent ends of the slots 44 which are provided in each of the yoke arms 29, through which slots the end portions of the key 13 extends. This latter feature is a natural consequence of the former, as the slots 40, registering with slots 44, are nearly as long as the follower 39. It should also be noted that the arms 29 of the yoke are widened from a point in rear of the slots 44 so that the cross-sectional area of the arms is not diminished by the said slots.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with center sills, of a yoke interposed between the same, the arms of said yoke being arranged parallel with the planes of the webs of said sills, and means for connecting the forward ends of said arms, said means comprising a pair of slotted plates having their adjacent faces rearwardly and outwardly inclined.

2. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with slotted center sills, of a horizontally disposed slotted yoke interposed between the same, said yoke being formed with arms increased in width forvwardly from points rearwardly of said slots, a follower within said yoke, a key passing through said yoke slots for connecting said follower and yoke, means for connecting the arms of said yoke adjacent the forward end thereof, said means comprising a pair of slotted plates, a coupler and means for connecting said coupler and yoke, said last named means comprising a vertically ranged key adapted to extend within the slots of said lates.

3. In a dra 't rigging for railway cars, the combination with the center sills, of a yoke comprising arms joined by slotted web portionsforming a hooded end interposed therebetween, the arms of said yoke being disposed in planes parellel to the webs of said sills, a coupler, a vertically arranged key extending through the slots in said web portions for connecting said yoke and coupler, a follower positioned between the arms of the yoke with the forward portion thereof disposed between the said web portions, and means bridging said sills and disposed adjacent opposite ends of said yoke for slidably supporting the same in operative position.

4. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with the center sills, of a hooded yoke interposed therebetween, the arms of said yoke being disposed in planes parallel to the webs of said sills, a follower within said yoke, a portion of said follower extending within the hooded portion of said yoke, a coupler normally engaging said follower, means for connectmg said coupler and yoke, and means for connecting portions of said yoke arms above and below said coupler and in rear thereof.

5. A yoke for railway draft rigging, comprising a pair of slotted arms and slotted plates connecting said arms adjacent one end thereof, the said plate slots being elongated and arranged in a plane at an angle to the plane of the longitudinal axes of the slots in said arms, portions of said plates extending rearwardly of the adjacent ends of said yoke, said plates havinglongitudi-- nally extending slots therein, the longitudinal axes of said last named slots being arranged parallel with the vertical planes of said yokearms, and portions of the ad'a'cent faces of said plates being rearwardly inclined away from each other.

7. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the

combination with the center sills, of a hooded yoke interposed therebetween, the arms of said yoke being disposed in planes parallel to the webs of said sills, a coupler, the hooded portion of said yoke being provided with longitudinally extending slots in the upper and lower portions thereof, and a vertically extending key for connecting said coupler and yoke, the slots in said yoke being adapted to permit pivotal movement of sa1d coupler in a horizontal plane, the slotted walls of said yoke being formed with rearwardly outwardly inclined faces arranged above and below said coupler, for permitting a vertical rocking movement of said coupler within said yoke for permitting a vertical rocking movement of said coupler within said hooded portion, said last named means comprising rearwardly outwardly inclined faces arranged above and below said coupler.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

BYERS W. KADEL. 

